Bien Unido

Bien Unido, officially the Municipality of Bien Unido (Cebuano: Munisipyo/Lungsod sa Bien Unido; Tagalog: Bayan ng Bien Unido), is a 4th class municipality in the province of Bohol, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 26,666 people.^[3]

Bien Unido
Municipality
Municipality of Bien Unido
Bien Unido Town Hall
Flag Seal
Map of Bohol with Bien Unido highlighted
OpenStreetMap
Bien Unido Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 10°08′N 124°23′E
Country	Philippines
Region	Central Visayas
Province	Bohol
District	2nd district
Founded	1981
Barangays	15 (see Barangays)
Government  [1]
• Type	Sangguniang Bayan
• Mayor	Rene B. Borenaga
• Vice Mayor	Renato G. Hoylar
• Representative	Ma. Vanessa C. Aumentado
• Municipal Council	Members John Felix L. Garcia Leonardo B. Querubin Jr. Joselyn P. Villarias Procopio L. Macua Jr. Leonaria Avenido-Atillo Veer Angelo A. Autida Rosemarie A. Boniel Alex L. Mabalatan
• Electorate	18,684 voters (2022)
Area [2]
• Total	27.39 km2 (10.58 sq mi)
Elevation	2.0 m (6.6 ft)
Highest elevation	37 m (121 ft)
Lowest elevation	0 m (0 ft)
Population  (2020 census)[3]
• Total	26,666
• Density	970/km2 (2,500/sq mi)
• Households	6,100
Economy
• Income class	4th municipal income class
• Poverty incidence	38.73 % (2021)[4]
• Revenue	₱ 100.1 million (2020)
• Assets	₱ 194.1 million (2020)
• Expenditure	₱ 129.4 million (2020)
• Liabilities	₱ 38.8 million (2020)
Service provider
• Electricity	Bohol 2 Electric Cooperative (BOHECO 2)
Time zone	UTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code	6326
PSGC	071248000
IDD : area code	+63 (0)38
Native languages	Boholano dialect Cebuano Tagalog
Website	https://bohol.gov.ph/bien-unido/

Bien Unido is the youngest municipality in Bohol being founded in 1981 after it was carved out and separated from the municipalities of Trinidad and Talibon.^[5] Among the principal industries in Bien Unido are rice farming, seaweed farming, livestock raising, algaculture, fishing, and mat weaving. The town gained the nickname as the de facto Seaweeds Capital of the Visayas.^[6]

The "Bien Unido Double Barrier Reef Marine Park" is the first underwater pilgrimage in Asia, established in 2012. It is situated along the Danajon Bank.^[7]

The town of Bien Unido, Bohol celebrates its feast on December 28, to honor the town patron, the Holy Child.^[8]

History

Roman Catholic Sto. Niño Parish Church

"Bien Unido" is a Spanish phrase translating to "well united" in English.

In 1935, two sitios in northern Trinidad were united into one barangay under an executive order and was given the name Bien Unido.

Then-Barangay Bien Unido had aspired to become a separate municipality since 1965. On December 24, 1980, Batas Pambansa Blg. 93 was passed, providing for the creation of the municipality of Bien Unido comprising the barangay of Bien Unido and certain surrounding barangays in the municipalities of Talibon and Trinidad.^[9] The creation of the municipality was approved by the majority of voters in a plebiscite on April 7, 1981.

On June 7, 2017, Gisela Bendong-Boniel, mayor of Bien Unido at that time, was kidnapped and killed, allegedly masterminded by her husband, Board Member Niño Rey Boniel, who was the former mayor of the town. Her body was dumped between the waters of Olango Island Group and Mactan. Her body has never been found.^[10][11]

Geography

Bien Unido is located in the northern part of the island province of Bohol.

Barangays

Bien Unido is politically subdivided into 15 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

Currently, only Barangays Bilangbilangan Diot and Hingotanan East are classified as rural and the rest are urban.

Map of Bien Unido showing barangays and islands

PSGC Barangay Population ±% p.a. 2020[3] 2010[12] 071248001 Bilangbilangan Dako 7.4% 1,960 1,920 ▴ 0.21%   071248002 Bilangbilangan Diot 3.1% 818 845 ▾ −0.32%   071248003 Hingotanan East 8.0% 2,143 2,283 ▾ −0.63%   071248004 Hingotanan West 7.4% 1,986 1,665 ▴ 1.78%   071248005 Liberty 3.7% 998 843 ▴ 1.70%   071248006 Malingin 6.3% 1,691 1,997 ▾ −1.65%   071248007 Mandawa 8.9% 2,385 2,328 ▴ 0.24%   071248008 Maomawan 6.3% 1,671 1,475 ▴ 1.26%   071248009 Nueva Esperanza 8.3% 2,205 2,527 ▾ −1.35%   071248010 Nueva Estrella 6.1% 1,638 1,576 ▴ 0.39%   071248011 Pinamgo 8.8% 2,344 2,177 ▴ 0.74%   071248012 Poblacion (Bien Unido Proper) 12.3% 3,273 3,082 ▴ 0.60%   071248013 Puerto San Pedro (Lawis) 4.3% 1,144 1,137 ▴ 0.06%   071248014 Sagasa 5.6% 1,483 1,308 ▴ 1.26%   071248015 Tuboran 4.0% 1,054 955 ▴ 0.99%   Total 26,666 25,796 ▴ 0.33%

Climate

Climate data for Bien Unido, Bohol
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	28 (82)	28 (82)	29 (84)	31 (88)	31 (88)	30 (86)	30 (86)	30 (86)	30 (86)	29 (84)	29 (84)	28 (82)	29 (85)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	23 (73)	23 (73)	23 (73)	23 (73)	24 (75)	24 (75)	24 (75)	24 (75)	24 (75)	24 (75)	24 (75)	23 (73)	24 (74)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	98 (3.9)	82 (3.2)	96 (3.8)	71 (2.8)	104 (4.1)	129 (5.1)	101 (4.0)	94 (3.7)	99 (3.9)	135 (5.3)	174 (6.9)	143 (5.6)	1,326 (52.3)
Average rainy days	18.0	14.1	17.1	16.8	23.7	25.7	25.8	23.3	24.2	25.9	24.0	20.6	259.2
Source: Meteoblue[13]

Demographics

The "I Love Bien Unido" sign in Barangay Poblacion

Population census of Bien Unido

Year Pop. ±% p.a. 1990 19,047 —     1995 19,185 +0.14% 2000 22,176 +3.15% 2007 23,412 +0.75%	Year Pop. ±% p.a. 2010 25,796 +3.59% 2015 27,115 +0.95% 2020 26,666 −0.33%
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[14][12][15][16]

The people in the municipality speak Cebuano and the Boholano dialect. Filipino and English are generally understood.

Economy

Poverty incidence of Bien Unido

10 20 30 40 50 60 70 2006 45.20 2009 63.72 2012 48.80 2015 50.38 2018 32.00 2021 38.73 Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24]

Fishes caught are brought and sold in Cebu while mats have markets in Mindanao, Leyte and Cebu.

Seaweed industry is recently the main livelihood in the municipality. The farmed seaweeds are used as essential ingredient for gel capsules, soap, toothpaste, slippers and other plastic wares.

Transportation

Bien Unido is 108 kilometres (67 mi) (2 hours or more) from Tagbilaran by road.

Cebu City is approximately over 4 hours via the Cebu–Talibon and Cebu–Tubigon RORO routes, while it takes 3 hours via the Cebu–Tubigon ferry (fastcraft) and over 2 hours via the Cebu–Talibon ferry (fastcraft).

Moreover, it takes approximately 2 or 3 hours to reach Bien Unido via the Cebu–Getafe ferry (fastcraft) or motor boat, while it takes 3 hours via the Cebu–Getafe RORO.

Bien Unido can also be reached directly from Cebu City through Pasil-Suba fish port via pump boat in more than 3 hours.

Health and social services

• Number of Municipal Health Center: 1
• Number of Barangay Health Stations: 7
• Number of Day Care Centers: 15

Education

Bien Unido Central Elementary School (BUCES)

Holy Child Academy of Bien Unido, Bohol Inc. (HCABBI)

Bien Unido Academy Inc. (BUAI)

Secondary and High schools:^[25][26]

• Bien Unido Academy Inc. (Private)
• Holy Child Academy of Bien Unido, Bohol Inc. (Private)
• Hingotanan National High School
• Pres. Carlos P. Garcia Tech Voc School of Fisheries and Arts
• Ponciano L. Padin National High School
• Nueva Esperanza Integrated School

Elementary schools:^[27]

• Bien Unido Central Elementary School
• Bilangbilangan Daku Elementary School
• Hingotanan Elementary School
• Malingin Elementary School
• Mandawa Elementary School
• Maomawan Elementary School
• Montessori Educational Learning Centre of Ubay, Bien Unido Branch (Private)^[25]
• Nueva Esperanza Integrated School
• Nueva Estrella Elementary School
• Pinamgo Elementary School
• Sagasa Elementary School

References

1.  Municipality of Bien Unido | (DILG)
2. "2015 Census of Population, Report No. 3 – Population, Land Area, and Population Density" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. Quezon City, Philippines. August 2016. ISSN 0117-1453. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 25, 2021. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
3. Census of Population (2020). "Region VII (Central Visayas)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
4. "PSA Releases the 2021 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. 2 April 2024. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
5. "Bien Unido-Bohol-Philippines.com". www.bohol-philippines.com.
6. Obedencio, Ric V. "Bien-Unido town celebrates 34th year with mass wedding". Philstar.com.
7. ChoosePhilippines, CP (8 July 2021). "Only in the Philippines: An Underwater Grotto in a Double-Barrier Reef! – Choose Philippines. Find. Discover. Share".
8. "Bien Unido". www.bohol-philippines.com. Retrieved 2019-04-12.
9. "Batas Pambansa Blg. 93, December 24, 1980". Supreme Court E-Library. Supreme Court of the Philippines. Retrieved 11 December 2019.
10. "Witness narrates how Bohol town mayor was killed". SunStar. SunStar Publishing Inc. 26 October 2018. Retrieved 11 December 2019.
11. Rosalie Abatayo (10 October 2019). "Two suspects in alleged kidnap-slay of Bien Unido Mayor enter not guilty plea". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Cebu Daily News. Retrieved 11 December 2019.
12. Census of Population and Housing (2010). "Region VII (Central Visayas)" (PDF). Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. National Statistics Office. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
13. "Bien Unido: Average Temperatures and Rainfall". Meteoblue. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
14. Census of Population (2015). "Region VII (Central Visayas)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved 20 June 2016.
15. Censuses of Population (1903–2007). "Region VII (Central Visayas)". Table 1. Population Enumerated in Various Censuses by Province/Highly Urbanized City: 1903 to 2007. National Statistics Office.
16. "Province of Bohol". Municipality Population Data. Local Water Utilities Administration Research Division. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
17. "Poverty incidence (PI):". Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
18. "Estimation of Local Poverty in the Philippines" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 29 November 2005.
19. "2003 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 23 March 2009.
20. "City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates; 2006 and 2009" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 3 August 2012.
21. "2012 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 31 May 2016.
22. "Municipal and City Level Small Area Poverty Estimates; 2009, 2012 and 2015". Philippine Statistics Authority. 10 July 2019.
23. "PSA Releases the 2018 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. 15 December 2021. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
24. "PSA Releases the 2021 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. 2 April 2024. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
25. "List and Status Of Private Schools" (PDF). DepEd – Region VII. 22 January 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-04-02. Retrieved 5 March 2015.
26. "Catholic Educational Institutions". Roman Catholic Diocese of Talibon. 1 January 2014. Archived from the original on 2015-02-04. Retrieved 5 March 2015.
27. "List of Elementary Schools". DepEd – Bohol. 1 January 2015. Retrieved 5 March 2015.

External links

• Philippine Standard Geographic Code
• Bien Unido Profile